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1.
Int J Soc Psychiatry ; 68(2): 264-272, 2022 Mar.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33349094

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The incidence of psychotic disorders is higher in ethnic minorities groups. The 'ethnic density effect', in which living in a neighbourhood with a low own-group proportion increases the risk of psychosis, is one explanatory factor. The density effect in the ethno-religious and sectarian context of Northern Ireland has been found to be reversed, particularly for Catholics, in which there is harmful effect of high own-group density areas. This is partly explained by high urbanicity, deprivation and unemployment, but is otherwise not well understood. AIMS: This study aimed to examine the density effect at the level of symptomology (positive and negative psychosis symptoms and depressive symptoms) in a representative sample of people with a first episode of psychosis in Northern Ireland. METHOD: Data linkage methodology was used drawing on data from the Northern Ireland First Episode Psychosis Study (NIFEPS) and the 2001 Census of Northern Ireland. RESULTS: In total, 223 people between the ages of 18 to 64 were included in the study. A significant density effect was found for Catholics for total psychosis scores, but not for positive, negative and depressive symptoms, nor for general psychopathology, after adjusting for individual and area characteristics. The model accounted for just over 12% of the variance. No effect was found for Protestants. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the density effect for Catholics is unrelated to the core features of psychosis (hallucinations, delusions and anhedonia) but rather to broader cognitive and emotional disturbances and area deprivation. Explanations of exposure to social adversity and inequality are proposed, with implications for public mental health and social policy.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos Mentales , Trastornos Psicóticos , Adolescente , Adulto , Depresión/epidemiología , Humanos , Almacenamiento y Recuperación de la Información , Persona de Mediana Edad , Irlanda del Norte/epidemiología , Trastornos Psicóticos/epidemiología , Trastornos Psicóticos/etiología , Características de la Residencia , Adulto Joven
2.
Dementia (London) ; 20(4): 1375-1407, 2021 May.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32772555

RESUMEN

AIM: Reminiscence therapy is a popular therapeutic intervention for people with dementia. This review set out to provide a better understanding of reminiscence therapy through a deeper analysis of its contents and delivery. METHOD: This review examined 22 studies from the most recent Cochrane review (Woods, B., O'Philbin, L., Farrell, E. M., Spector, A. E., & Orrell, M. (2018). Reminiscence therapy for dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, Article 001120) and addressed the following research questions: (1) What are the components of reminiscence therapy? (2) Who delivers reminiscence therapy? (3) How is reminiscence therapy delivered? (4) Is reminiscence therapy underpinned by a theoretical framework? (5) Is reminiscence therapy delivered according to a programme/model? (6) Are there commonalities in the reminiscence therapy components utilised? Multiple and layered narrative analyses were completed. FINDINGS: Thirteen reminiscence therapy components were identified. 'Memory triggers' and 'themes' were identified as the most common but were found not to be consistently beneficial. Reminiscence therapy was typically delivered in a care setting using a group approach; however, there was no consistency in session composition, intervention duration, as well as the training and supervision provided to facilitators. Operationalisation of theory within reminiscence therapy was not identified. Reminiscence therapy was not consistently delivered according to a programme/model. Lastly, as a result of a small number of studies, the components 'life stages', 'activities' and 'family-only sessions', showed beneficial promise. In summary, this review highlights that reminiscence therapy needs more consistency in content and delivery, in addition to a clear theoretical framework.


Asunto(s)
Demencia , Psicoterapia , Demencia/terapia , Humanos , Memoria , Proyectos de Investigación
3.
Br J Educ Psychol ; 86(4): 546-558, 2016 Dec.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27473924

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Many school-based interventions are being delivered in the absence of evidence of effectiveness (Snowling & Hulme, 2011, Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 81, 1). AIMS: This study sought to address this oversight by evaluating the effectiveness of the commonly used the Lexia Reading Core5 intervention, with 4- to 6-year-old pupils in Northern Ireland. SAMPLE: A total of 126 primary school pupils in year 1 and year 2 were screened on the Phonological Assessment Battery 2nd Edition (PhAB-2). Children were recruited from the equivalent year groups to Reception and Year 1 in England and Wales, and Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten in North America. METHODS: A total of 98 below-average pupils were randomized (T0) to either an 8-week block (x¯ = 647.51 min, SD = 158.21) of daily access to Lexia Reading Core5 (n = 49) or a waiting-list control group (n = 49). Assessment of phonological skills was completed at post-intervention (T1) and at 2-month follow-up (T2) for the intervention group only. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance which controlled for baseline scores found that the Lexia Reading Core5 intervention group made significantly greater gains in blending, F(1, 95) = 6.50, p = .012, partial η2  = .064 (small effect size) and non-word reading, F(1, 95) = 7.20, p = .009, partial η2  = .070 (small effect size). Analysis of the 2-month follow-up of the intervention group found that all group treatment gains were maintained. However, improvements were not uniform among the intervention group with 35% failing to make progress despite access to support. Post-hoc analysis revealed that higher T0 phonological working memory scores predicted improvements made in phonological skills. CONCLUSIONS: An early-intervention, computer-based literacy program can be effective in boosting the phonological skills of 4- to 6-year-olds, particularly if these literacy difficulties are not linked to phonological working memory deficits.


Asunto(s)
Instrucción por Computador/métodos , Intervención Educativa Precoz/métodos , Alfabetización , Fonética , Lectura , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Masculino , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud
4.
Schizophr Bull ; 42(3): 626-32, 2016 May.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26519953

RESUMEN

The impact of political violence on individuals presenting with an episode of first episode psychosis has not been examined. Individuals were assessed for exposure to political violence in Northern Ireland (the "Troubles") by asking for a response to 2 questions: one asked about the impact of violence "on your area"; the second about the impact of violence "on you or your family's life." The participants were separated into 2 groups (highandlowimpact) for each question. Symptom profiles and rates of substance misuse were compared across the groups at baseline and at 3-year follow up. Of the 178 individuals included in the study 66 (37.1%) reported ahighimpact of the "Troubles" on their life and 81 (45.5%) ahighimpact of the "Troubles" on their area. There were no significant differences in symptom profile or rates of substance misuse betweenhighandlowgroups at presentation. At 3-year follow-uphighimpact of the "Troubles" on life was associated with higher Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) Total (P= .01), PANSS-Positive (P< .05), and PANSS-General (P< .01) scores and lower global assessment of functioning disability (P< .05) scores, after adjusting for confounding factors. Impact of the "Troubles" on area was not associated with differences in symptom outcomes. This finding adds to the evidence that outcomes in psychosis are significantly impacted by environmental factors and suggests that greater attention should be paid to therapeutic strategies designed to address the impact of trauma.


Asunto(s)
Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud , Política , Trauma Psicológico/psicología , Trastornos Psicóticos/psicología , Violencia/psicología , Adulto , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Masculino , Irlanda del Norte , Trauma Psicológico/complicaciones , Trauma Psicológico/terapia , Trastornos Psicóticos/etiología , Trastornos Psicóticos/terapia
5.
Psychiatry Res ; 221(1): 49-57, 2014 Jan 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24239094

RESUMEN

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have identified changes in white matter tracts in schizophrenia patients and those at high risk of transition. Schizotypal samples represent a group on the schizophrenia continuum that share some aetiological risk factors but without the confounds of illness. The aim of the current study was to compare tract microstructural coherence as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) between 12 psychometrically defined schizotypes and controls. We investigated bilaterally the uncinate and arcuate fasciculi (UF and AF) via a probabilistic tractography algorithm (PICo), with FA values compared between groups. Partial correlations were also examined between measures of subclinical hallucinatory/delusional experiences and FA values. Participants with schizotypal features were found to have increased FA values in the left hemisphere UF only. In the whole sample there was a positive correlation between FA values and measures of hallucinatory experience in the right AF. These findings suggest subtle changes in microstructural coherence are found in individuals with schizotypal features, but are not similar to changes predominantly observed in clinical samples. Correlations between mild hallucinatory experience and FA values could indicate increasing tract coherence could be associated with symptom formation.


Asunto(s)
Imagen de Difusión Tensora , Fibras Nerviosas Mielínicas/patología , Esquizofrenia/metabolismo , Trastorno de la Personalidad Esquizotípica/patología , Adulto , Algoritmos , Anisotropía , Encéfalo/patología , Encéfalo/fisiopatología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Imagen de Difusión Tensora/métodos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Vía Perforante , Proyectos Piloto , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Trastornos Psicóticos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Esquizofrenia/genética , Sensibilidad y Especificidad
6.
J Affect Disord ; 151(2): 639-645, 2013 Nov.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23993442

RESUMEN

Inconsistencies surrounding the prevalence levels of depression in later life suggest that the measurement of depression in older people may be problematic. The current study aimed to map responses to a depressive symptom scale, the Mental Health Index-5 (MHI-5) which is part of the Short form 36 (SF-36, Ware et al., 1993) against the diagnostic screening items of the Composite International Diagnostic Instrument-Short Form (CIDI-SF, Kessler et al., 1998) to examine disagreement rates across age groups. The study examined data from a national random sample of 10,641 participants living in Ireland, 58.8% were female and 19% were over 65 (SLÁN, 2007). CIDI-SF depression screening endorsement was lower in older groups, whereas mean MHI-5 depressive symptoms showed less change across age groups. Results showed that the odds of MHI-5 endorsers aged 18-44 endorsing CIDI-SF screening questions were 5 times and 4.5 times (dysphoria and anhedonia, respectively) greater than the odds of people aged 75 or more endorsing these items. Findings suggest that although the risk of depressive disorder may decrease with age, complex diagnostic screening questions may exaggerate lower rates of depression among older people.


Asunto(s)
Trastorno Depresivo/diagnóstico , Trastorno Depresivo/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Indicadores de Salud , Humanos , Irlanda/epidemiología , Masculino , Tamizaje Masivo , Salud Mental/estadística & datos numéricos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Riesgo , Estrés Psicológico/diagnóstico , Estrés Psicológico/epidemiología , Adulto Joven
7.
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.) ; 34(supl.2): s219-s225, Oct. 2012.
Artículo en Inglés | LILACS | ID: lil-662768

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene variations on cognitive performance and clinical symptomatology in first-episode psychosis (FEP). METHODS: We performed BDNF val66met variant genotyping, cognitive testing (verbal fluency and digit spans) and assessments of symptom severity (as assessed with the PANSS) in a population-based sample of FEP patients (77 with schizophreniform psychosis and 53 with affective psychoses) and 191 neighboring healthy controls. RESULTS: There was no difference in the proportion of Met allele carriers between FEP patients and controls, and no significant influence of BDNF genotype on cognitive test scores in either of the psychosis groups. A decreased severity of negative symptoms was found in FEP subjects that carried a Met allele, and this finding reached significance for the subgroup with affective psychoses (p < 0.01, ANOVA). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in FEP, the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism does not exert a pervasive influence on cognitive functioning but may modulate the severity of negative symptoms.


OBJETIVO: Investigar a influência da variação do gene do fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF) no desempenho cognitivo e na sintomatologia clínica durante o primeiro episódio psicótico (PEP). MÉTODOS: Foram realizados a genotipificação das variantes Val66met do BDNF, o teste cognitivo (fluência verbal e repetição de dígitos) e as avaliações da gravidade dos sintomas (conforme avaliado pela Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]) em uma amostra de pacientes com PEP de base populacional (77 com psicose esquizofreniforme e 53 com psicose afetiva) e 191 vizinhos controle saudáveis. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença na proporção de portadores do alelo Met entre pacientes com PEP e o grupo controle. Não houve influência significativa do genótipo do BDNF sobre a pontuação de cada um dos grupos psicóticos. Foi encontrada uma diminuição da gravidade dos sintomas negativos em sujeitos com PEP portadores do alelo Met, e essa descoberta mostrou-se significativa para o subgrupo com psicose afetiva (p < 0,01, ANOVA). CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados sugerem que, no PEP, o polimorfismo Val66Met do gene do BDNF não exerce uma influência importante sobre o funcionamento cognitivo, mas pode modular a gravidade dos sintomas negativos.


Asunto(s)
Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven , Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/genética , Cognición/fisiología , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple/genética , Trastornos Psicóticos/genética , Brasil , Genotipo , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad
8.
Schizophr Bull ; 38(6): 1162-9, 2012 Nov.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21799213

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: A history of childhood trauma is common in individuals who later develop psychosis. Similar neuroanatomical abnormalities are observed in people who have been exposed to childhood trauma and people with psychosis. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and such abnormalities in psychosis has not been investigated. This study aimed to explore the association between the experience of childhood trauma and hippocampal and amygdalar volumes in a first-episode psychosis (FEP) population. METHODS: The study employed an observational retrospective design. Twenty-one individuals, who had previously undergone magnetic resonance imaging procedures as part of the longitudinal Northern Ireland First-Episode Psychosis Study, completed measures assessing traumatic experiences and were included in the analysis. Data were subject to correlation analyses (r and r (pb)). Potential confounding variables (age at FEP and delay to scan from recruitment) were selected a priori for inclusion in multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: There was a high prevalence of lifetime (95%) and childhood (76%) trauma in the sample. The experience of childhood trauma was a significant predictor of left hippocampal volume, although age at FEP also significantly contributed to this model. There was no significant association between predictor variables and right hippocampal volume. The experience of childhood trauma was a significant predictor of right and total amygdalar volumes and the hippocampal/amygdalar complex volume as a whole. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that childhood trauma is associated with neuroanatomical measures in FEP. Future research controlling for childhood traumatic experiences may contribute to explaining brain morphology in people with psychosis.


Asunto(s)
Adultos Sobrevivientes del Maltrato a los Niños/psicología , Amígdala del Cerebelo/patología , Hipocampo/patología , Trastornos Psicóticos/patología , Adulto , Trastornos Psicóticos Afectivos/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Tamaño de los Órganos , Análisis de Regresión , Estudios Retrospectivos
9.
Brain Imaging Behav ; 6(1): 49-60, 2012 Mar.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22045236

RESUMEN

Hippocampus and amygdala changes have been implicated in the pathophysiology and symptomatology of both schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). However relationships between illness course, neuropathological changes and variations in symptomatology remain unclear. This investigation examined the associations between hippocampus and amygdala volumes and symptom dimensions in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients after their first episode of psychosis. Symptom severity was associated with decreases in hippocampus/amygdala complex volume across groups. In keeping with previous work bilateral hippocampus and amygdala volume reductions were also identified in the SCZ patients while in BD patients only evidence of amygdala inflation reached significance. The study concludes that there appear to be important relationships between volume changes in the hippocampus and amygdala and dimensions and severity of symptomatology in psychosis. Structural alterations are apparent in both SCZ and BD after first episode of psychosis but present differently in each illness and are more severe in SCZ.


Asunto(s)
Amígdala del Cerebelo/patología , Trastorno Bipolar/patología , Hipocampo/patología , Trastornos Psicóticos/patología , Esquizofrenia/patología , Adulto , Amígdala del Cerebelo/fisiopatología , Trastorno Bipolar/fisiopatología , Femenino , Hipocampo/fisiopatología , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Trastornos Psicóticos/fisiopatología , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Adulto Joven
10.
Behav Brain Res ; 227(1): 91-9, 2012 Feb 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22056751

RESUMEN

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) are associated with neuropathological brain changes, which are believed to disrupt connectivity between brain processes and may have common properties. Patients at first psychotic episode are unique, as one can assess brain alterations at illness inception, when many confounders are reduced or absent. SCZ (N=25) and BP (N=24) patients were recruited in a regional first episode psychosis MRI study. VBM methods were used to study gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) differences between patient groups and case by case matched controls. For both groups, deficits identified are more discrete than those typically reported in later stages of illness. SCZ patients showed some evidence of GM loss in cortical areas but most notable were in limbic structures such as hippocampus, thalamus and striatum and cerebellum. Consistent with disturbed neural connectivity WM alterations were also observed in limbic structures, the corpus callosum and many subgyral and sublobar regions in the parietal, temporal and frontal lobes. BP patients displayed less evidence of volume changes overall, compared to normal healthy participants, but those changes observed were primarily in WM areas which overlapped with regions identified in SCZ, including thalamus and cerebellum and subgyral and sublobar sites. At first episode of psychosis there is evidence of a neuroanatomical overlap between SCZ and BP with respect to brain structural changes, consistent with disturbed neural connectivity. There are also important differences however in that SCZ displays more extensive structural alteration.


Asunto(s)
Trastorno Bipolar/patología , Mapeo Encefálico , Encéfalo/patología , Esquizofrenia/patología , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador , Estudios Longitudinales , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven
11.
Braz J Psychiatry ; 34 Suppl 2: S219-25, 2012 Oct.
Artículo en Inglés, Portugués | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23429848

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene variations on cognitive performance and clinical symptomatology in first-episode psychosis (FEP). METHODS: We performed BDNF val66met variant genotyping, cognitive testing (verbal fluency and digit spans) and assessments of symptom severity (as assessed with the PANSS) in a population-based sample of FEP patients (77 with schizophreniform psychosis and 53 with affective psychoses) and 191 neighboring healthy controls. RESULTS: There was no difference in the proportion of Met allele carriers between FEP patients and controls, and no significant influence of BDNF genotype on cognitive test scores in either of the psychosis groups. A decreased severity of negative symptoms was found in FEP subjects that carried a Met allele, and this finding reached significance for the subgroup with affective psychoses (p < 0.01, ANOVA). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in FEP, the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism does not exert a pervasive influence on cognitive functioning but may modulate the severity of negative symptoms.


Asunto(s)
Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/genética , Cognición/fisiología , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple/genética , Trastornos Psicóticos/genética , Adolescente , Adulto , Brasil , Femenino , Genotipo , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Adulto Joven
12.
Cogn Neuropsychiatry ; 16(4): 289-302, 2011.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21113827

RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: Auditory hallucinations exist in psychotic disorders as well as the general population. Proneness to hallucinations, as measured by positive schizotypy, predicts false perceptions during an auditory signal detection task (Barkus, Stirling, Hopkins, McKie, & Lewis, 2007). Our aim was to replicate this result and extend it by examining effects of age and sex, both important demographic predictors of psychosis. METHOD: A sample of 76 healthy volunteers split into 15-17 years (n=46) and 19 years plus (n=30) underwent a signal detection task designed to detect propensity towards false perceptions under ambiguous auditory conditions. Scores on the Unusual Experiences subscale (UE) of the O-LIFE schizotypy scale, IQ, and a measure of working memory were also assessed. RESULTS: We replicated our initial finding (Barkus et al., 2007): High scores on positive schizotypy were associated with false perceptions. Younger participants who scored highly on positive schizotypy reported significantly more false perceptions compared to other groups (p=.04). Older participants who had had an imaginary friend reported more false perceptions during the signal detection task (p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Younger participants seem most vulnerable to the effects of positive schizotypal traits in terms of a signal detection deficit that underlies auditory hallucinations. Schizotypy may have greatest impact closer to the risk period for development of psychotic disorders.


Asunto(s)
Percepción Auditiva , Alucinaciones/etiología , Personalidad , Trastornos Psicóticos/complicaciones , Adolescente , Factores de Edad , Femenino , Alucinaciones/diagnóstico , Humanos , Masculino , Trastornos Psicóticos/diagnóstico , Factores de Riesgo , Trastorno de la Personalidad Esquizotípica/complicaciones , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto Joven
13.
Psychiatry Res ; 184(1): 1-9, 2010 Oct 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20817487

RESUMEN

The present study aimed to investigate the presence of corpus callosum (CC) volume deficits in a population-based recent-onset psychosis (ROP) sample, and whether CC volume relates to interhemispheric communication deficits. For this purpose, we used voxel-based morphometry comparisons of magnetic resonance imaging data between ROP (n =122) and healthy control (n = 94) subjects. Subgroups (38 ROP and 39 controls) were investigated for correlations between CC volumes and performance on the Crossed Finger Localization Test (CFLT). Significant CC volume reductions in ROP subjects versus controls emerged after excluding substance misuse and non-right-handedness. CC reductions retained significance in the schizophrenia subgroup but not in affective psychoses subjects. There were significant positive correlations between CC volumes and CFLT scores in ROP subjects, specifically in subtasks involving interhemispheric communication. From these results, we can conclude that CC volume reductions are present in association with ROP. The relationship between such deficits and CFLT performance suggests that interhemispheric communication impairments are directly linked to CC abnormalities in ROP.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos del Conocimiento/etiología , Cuerpo Calloso/patología , Lateralidad Funcional/fisiología , Trastornos Psicóticos/complicaciones , Trastornos Psicóticos/patología , Transferencia de Experiencia en Psicología/fisiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador/métodos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/métodos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Estadística como Asunto , Adulto Joven
14.
Psychiatry Res ; 179(2): 157-64, 2010 Sep 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20488560

RESUMEN

Cognitive deficits are a key feature of recent-onset psychosis, but there is no consensus on whether such deficits are generalized or confined to specific domains. Besides, it is unclear whether cognitive deficits: a) are found in psychotic patients in samples from outside high-income countries; and b) whether they progress uniformly over time in schizophrenia and affective psychoses. We applied 12 tests organized into eight cognitive domains, comparing psychosis patients (n = 56, time from initial contact = 677.95+/-183.27 days) versus healthy controls (n=70) recruited from the same area of São Paulo, Brazil. Longitudinal comparisons (digit span and verbal fluency) were conducted between a previous assessment of the subjects carried out at their psychosis onset, and the current follow-up evaluation. Psychosis patients differed significantly from controls on five domains, most prominently on verbal memory. Cognitive deficits remained detectable in separate comparisons of the schizophrenia subgroup and, to a lesser extent, the affective psychosis subjects against controls. Longitudinal comparisons indicated significant improvement in schizophrenia, affective psychoses, and control subjects, with no significant group-by-time interactions. Our results reinforce the view that there are generalized cognitive deficits in association with recent-onset psychoses, particularly of non-affective nature, which persist over time.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos del Conocimiento/etiología , Renta , Trastornos Psicóticos/complicaciones , Trastornos Psicóticos/psicología , Estimulación Acústica/métodos , Adulto , Análisis de Varianza , Atención/fisiología , Brasil , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Matemática , Memoria/fisiología , Trastornos del Humor/etiología , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Conducta Verbal/fisiología , Adulto Joven
15.
Br J Psychiatry ; 195(3): 242-8, 2009 Sep.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19721115

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Substance misuse is a common comorbid problem in people presenting with first-episode psychosis and is associated with a poor short-term outcome. AIMS: The aim of this study is to examine differences in baseline characteristics and 1-year outcome between individuals with first-episode psychosis who have never misused substances, those who stop misusing substances after initial presentation and those who persistently misuse substances over the 1-year assessment period. METHOD: Patients were recruited to the Northern Ireland First Episode Psychosis Study (n = 272). Clinical assessments were performed at baseline and at 1 year (n = 194) and data were collected from the case notes. RESULTS: Individuals with persistent substance misuse had more severe depression, more positive symptoms, poorer functional outcome and greater rates of relapse at 1 year than those who stopped and those who had never misused substances. There were no differences in outcome between people who had never misused substances and those who stopped misusing after presentation. CONCLUSIONS: These results support assertive intervention targeted at comorbid substance misuse in individuals with first-episode psychosis.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos Mentales/epidemiología , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Trastorno Bipolar/epidemiología , Comorbilidad , Trastorno Depresivo/epidemiología , Métodos Epidemiológicos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cooperación del Paciente/psicología , Cooperación del Paciente/estadística & datos numéricos , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica , Recurrencia , Esquizofrenia/epidemiología , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/psicología , Adulto Joven
16.
Br J Psychiatry ; 195(1): 67-72, 2009 Jul.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19567899

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Researching psychotic disorders in unison rather than as separate diagnostic groups is widely advocated, but the viability of such an approach requires careful consideration from a neurocognitive perspective. AIMS: To describe cognition in people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and to examine how known causes of variability in individual's performance contribute to any observed diagnostic differences. METHOD: Neurocognitive functioning in people with bipolar disorder (n = 32), schizophrenia (n = 46) and healthy controls (n = 67) was compared using analysis of covariance on data from the Northern Ireland First Episode Psychosis Study. RESULTS: The bipolar disorder and schizophrenia groups were most impaired on tests of memory, executive functioning and language. The bipolar group performed significantly better on tests of response inhibition, verbal fluency and callosal functioning. Between-group differences could be explained by the greater proclivity of individuals with schizophrenia to experience global cognitive impairment and negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Particular impairments are common to people with psychosis and may prove useful as endophenotypic markers. Considering the degree of individuals' global cognitive impairment is critical when attempting to understand patterns of selective impairment both within and between these diagnostic groups.


Asunto(s)
Trastorno Bipolar/psicología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/psicología , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Adolescente , Adulto , Atención , Trastorno Bipolar/diagnóstico , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Femenino , Humanos , Inteligencia , Masculino , Recuerdo Mental , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Conducta Verbal , Adulto Joven
17.
Schizophr Res ; 113(2-3): 200-9, 2009 Sep.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19616413

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological deficits have been reported in association with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Reductions in grey matter (GM) volumes have been documented in FEP subjects compared to healthy controls. However, the possible inter-relationship between the findings of those two lines of research has been scarcely investigated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between neuropsychological deficits and GM volume abnormalities in a population-based sample of FEP patients compared to healthy controls from the same geographical area. METHODS: FEP patients (n=88) and control subjects (n=86) were evaluated by neuropsychological assessment (Controlled Oral Word Association Test, forward and backward digit span tests) and magnetic resonance imaging using voxel-based morphometry. RESULTS: Single-group analyses showed that prefrontal and temporo-parietal GM volumes correlated significantly (p<0.05, corrected) with cognitive performance in FEP patients. A similar pattern of direct correlations between neocortical GM volumes and cognitive impairment was seen in the schizophrenia subgroup (n=48). In the control group, cognitive performance was directly correlated with GM volume in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and inversely correlated with parahippocampal gyral volumes bilaterally. Interaction analyses with "group status" as a predictor variable showed significantly greater positive correlation within the left inferior prefrontal cortex (BA46) in the FEP group relative to controls, and significantly greater negative correlation within the left parahippocampal gyrus in the control group relative to FEP patients. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that cognitive deficits are directly related to brain volume abnormalities in frontal and temporo-parietal cortices in FEP subjects, most specifically in inferior portions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.


Asunto(s)
Corteza Cerebral/patología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/etiología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/patología , Esquizofrenia/complicaciones , Esquizofrenia/patología , Adulto , Mapeo Encefálico , Corteza Cerebral/fisiopatología , Planificación en Salud Comunitaria/métodos , Femenino , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/métodos , Masculino , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Análisis de Componente Principal , Estadística como Asunto , Adulto Joven
18.
Psychiatry Res ; 159(1-2): 180-8, 2008 May 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18423607

RESUMEN

There is evidence that patients with schizophrenia have impaired explicit memory and intact implicit memory. The present study sought to replicate and extend that of O'Carroll et al. [O'Carroll, R.E., Russell, H.H., Lawrie, S.M. and Johnstone, E.C., 1999. Errorless learning and the cognitive rehabilitation of memory-impaired schizophrenic patients. Psychological Medicine 29, 105-112.] which reported that for memory-impaired patients with schizophrenia performance on a (cued) word recall task is enhanced using errorless learning techniques (in which errors are prevented during learning) compared to errorful learning (the traditional trial-and-error approach). Thirty patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia and fifteen healthy controls (HC) participated. The Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test was administered and from their scores, the schizophrenic patients were classified as either memory-impaired (MIS), or memory-unimpaired (MUS). During the training phase two lists of words were learned separately, one using the errorless learning approach and the other using an errorful approach. Subjects were then tested for their recall of the words using cued recall. After errorful learning training, performance on word recall for the MIS group was impaired compared to the MUS and HC groups. However, after errorless learning training, no significant differences in performance were found between the three groups. Errorless learning may play an important role in remediation of cognitive deficits for patients with schizophrenia.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos del Conocimiento/terapia , Aprendizaje , Trastornos de la Memoria/terapia , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas/estadística & datos numéricos , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Esquizofrenia/terapia , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Enseñanza , Adulto , Aprendizaje por Asociación , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Trastornos del Conocimiento/psicología , Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual/métodos , Grupos Control , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Trastornos de la Memoria/diagnóstico , Solución de Problemas , Refuerzo en Psicología , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Aprendizaje Verbal , Escalas de Wechsler
19.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc ; 13(5): 893-7, 2007 Sep.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17697420

RESUMEN

Language deficits are frequently reported in studies of patients with schizophrenia. The present study sought to test the hypothesis that such deficits are related to callosal function in this group. The FAS test of verbal fluency and Perin's Spoonerisms test of phonological processing were the tests of language. Callosal function was assessed using a Crossed Finger Localisation Test (CFLT), which is a measure of the interhemispheric transfer of somatosensory information. Patients with schizophrenia performed less well than controls on measures of language function, as well as on the CFLT. Significant positive correlations between CFLT performance and language function were present in the patient group, but not the control group. These findings extend on previous studies that report functional abnormalities of the corpus callosum in schizophrenia and are consistent with the hypothesis that language deficits in schizophrenia are related to impaired callosal functioning in this group. However, other explanations cannot be ruled out.


Asunto(s)
Lateralidad Funcional/fisiología , Lenguaje , Desempeño Psicomotor/fisiología , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Conducta Verbal/fisiología , Adulto , Cuerpo Calloso/patología , Cuerpo Calloso/fisiopatología , Femenino , Humanos , Pruebas del Lenguaje/estadística & datos numéricos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas/estadística & datos numéricos , Esquizofrenia/patología , Lenguaje del Esquizofrénico , Escalas de Wechsler/estadística & datos numéricos
20.
Schizophr Res ; 90(1-3): 338-43, 2007 Feb.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17123787

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Studies conducted in high-income countries have reported significant cognitive deficits in first on set schizophrenia subjects relative to asymptotic controls, and it has been suggested that the severity of such deficits could be directly related to the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). It is relevant to conduct similar studies in developing countries, given the supposedly better outcome for schizophrenia patients living in the latter environments. METHODS: We applied verbal fluency and digit span tests to an epidemiological-based series of patients with first-onset psychoses (n=179) recruited in the city of São Paulo, and compared the findings with those from non-psychotic control subjects randomly selected from the same geographical areas (n=383). RESULTS: Psychosis subjects showed lower scores on the three tests relative to controls, with greatest between-group differences for the backward digit span task (p<0.0001). There were no significant differences between subjects with affective and schizophreniform psychosis. Cognitive performance indices were negatively correlated with the severity of negative symptoms, but showed no relation to DUP. CONCLUSION: We found significant cognitive deficits in patients investigated early during the course of psychotic disorders in an environment that is distinct from those where the subjects investigated in previous studies have been drawn from. We found no support to the hypothesis of an association between greater cognitive deficits and a longer DUP.


Asunto(s)
Trastornos del Conocimiento/epidemiología , Países en Desarrollo , Trastornos Psicóticos/epidemiología , Esquizofrenia/epidemiología , Psicología del Esquizofrénico , Población Urbana/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Brasil , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Trastornos del Conocimiento/psicología , Comorbilidad , Estudios Transversales , Depresión/diagnóstico , Depresión/epidemiología , Depresión/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Memoria a Corto Plazo , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas/estadística & datos numéricos , Psicometría/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Psicóticos/diagnóstico , Trastornos Psicóticos/psicología , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico , Estadística como Asunto , Conducta Verbal
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